ANA’s Ken Saro-Wiwa Residency Opens Application For Maiden Edition

The Association of Nigerian Author (ANA) has opened call for application to its maiden edition of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Residency.

The residency which will take place at ANA’s Mamman Jiya Vatsa Writers Village in Mpape, Abuja, is aimed at providing writers an opportunity to complete a literary manuscript, foster creativity and cross-cultural exchange amongst selected residents, and facilitate mentorship of emerging writers by the established ones from different parts of Africa, through sharing of their experiences, to develop their craft, and contribute to the development of the continent’s literary landscape.

The residency is named after ANA former president, journalist and environmental activist, who alongside eight others were accused of trumped-up charges and executed during Nigeria’s darkest military regime.

To qualify for the residency, applicants must be practicing creative writers based in Africa and working on either the fiction, non-fiction, poetry and literary criticism. They work(s) must have been published in any print media of repute or authored a book.

They must also submit a two-page comprehensive resume, two referral letters, a sample of the creative piece they are currently working on, and will resume with at the residency. The submissions must be for non-fiction, fiction and literary criticism, including a 500 to 750 words sample of the work they intend to focus on during their stay at the residency. And for the poetry submissions – five poems from their work-in-progress.

Selected applicants are entitled to N15,000 weekly expenses, two extra weeks at the resident’s expense and N100,000 lump-sum transportation fee for Nigerian, and N200,000 for international residents.

Application closes Saturday July 12, 2025, while residency begins from August 30 to October 11, 2025.